Casting-machine.



F. ENGEL.

CASTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED m:c.17. I915.

Patented Aug. 7, 1917.

5 SHEETSSHEET l- F. ENGEL.

CASTING MACHINE.

' APPLICATION FILED DEC. I7. l9l5. 1,235,779.

I 5 SHEETS-SHEET 2. 3

Patented Aug. 7, 1917.

F. ENGEL.

CASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED own. 1915.

Patented Aug.- 7, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

F. ENGEL.

CASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED [150.11. l9l5.

1,235,77 9. Patented Aug. 7,1917.

5 SHEETSSHEET 5.

M 22ml En Ts'rAs PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK ENGEL, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK; ASSIGNOR TO U. S. LIGHT & HEAT CORPORATION, OF NIAGARA FALLS. NEW YORK. A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CASTING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 7, 1917.

Original application filed September 19, 1910, Serial No. 582,696. Divided and this application filed December 17, 1915. Serial No. 67,392.

I T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. FRANK EXGEL, a cit-izen of the l'nited States. residing at Niagara Falls, in the county of Niagara and State of New York. have invented new and useful Improvements in Casting-Machines, of which One of the objects of the invention is to I provide a machine whereby a number of storage battery plates may be mechanically and electrically connected'by means of a conducting member. whlch shall be joined to each individual plate in such a manner as to be substantially integral therewith, whereby good mechanical strength and electrical conductivity are secured.

Various attempts have been made in the past to connect storage battery plates by burning a. common 'connecting member to v a number of plates. According to this process. the various parts were connected by directmg a flame against; the1r ad acent surfaces, causing a partial fusion of the metal so that the resulting structure had a continu; ous outer surface of conducting metal. but

within the joint was very incomplete and needed only-to be cut into to reveal the imper;

fections. Bythe useof the machine which forms the subjectof-this invention. the juncture of the various parts is so complete that, upon being cut open. no trace of a joint can be found. v j

For the purpose of describing my invention. I have illustrated one embodimentof theinvention and a modification thereof.

In the drawin s:-- Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation of the machine referred to.

' Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal central section on the line of Fig. 2.

Fig. l is a section on line 1, 4, of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a section on line 5. 5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a detail. Fig. 7- is an elevation of-'a modification of partof the machine.

' Fig. 8 is a perspective view of'a group of cludes. in general, a reservoir for molten.

lead mounted on a suitable base or support, an extension or table extending from one'end of said reservoir and supported in'a'ny suitable manner. a traveling carriage sliding 111 ways on said table, said carriage adapted to carry a plurality of battery plates onto whose ends there is to be cast an integral strap, and intermediate mechanism between the plates and the reservoir for forming a mold and for pouring lead from the reservoir into the mold.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a suitable support or stand 1. carrying a reservoir -2 for molten lead. Secured to one end of said reservoir by any suitable means, such as bolts, is an extension or table 3, supported at its distant end by legs -l.

The lead reservoir 2 has an additional end wall portion 5 (see Fig. 3) in which' there is located ansopening 6. which provides an escape for. the .products of combustion from the burnerT, which latter may be of any suitable type. preferably. the ordinary gas burner with an alr-mixmg devlce.

An end portion of a mold S is preferably located on the table 3 adjacent the lead resfervoir and is secured to said table by any suitable means such as bolts, saidend' portion being provided with a centrally'located projection or block 9. more .fully described hereinafter. and substantially parallel end walls 10. These end walls are connected by a diagonal or slanting partition 11.- which, together with said walls and the sliding plate or top portion-12 of the mold, form a chute or trough adaptedto form a run-way for the molten lead poured from above, as hereinafter described. Said top mold portion 12 does notquite meet the partition 11. so that a. narrow slit or opening 13 is left at the "bottom of said chute. as willbe clearly apparentfrom Fig. 3. The top mold portion 12 is provided along its imder side with a series of slots or grooves 14, seen more particularly ii -Figs.- l and 6, each slot being adapted to receive a projecting lug of a battery. plate. The slots widen out on the side of the top mold which is away from the battery plates. as at 111. so that the castlead strap, which connects the various lugs, will be. provided with reinforcing fillets, as seen more particularly in Fig. 8. a

The upper ends or the walls constitute brackets which provide suitable bearings for a rod or bar 15, on which there is rotatably.

' portion 17 at its base. described in connection with the modification herein illustrated; although I do not limit myself to this construction. In one of the side walls of the ladle. a plurality of holes or openings 18 are located. shown more particularly in Fig. 2. When the bucket is lowered into the molten lead. these holes are. lowered well below the surface of the metal so that all the lead which enters the ladle enters through these holes, but does not carry with it the usual oxid or dross which is continually forming on the surface of moltenlead.

Secured to the ladle 16, in any suitable manner. is the operating handle 19 ,fby means of. which the ladle ma be con eniently dipped into the reservolr and then tilted over to pour out the lead which entered the holes 1S. vided with a spring latch 20,-whichoperates the pivoted catch21. adap "to engage a fixed stop 22 secured in any suitable manner to the side of the reservoir. By meansv of this latch arrangement, the ladle, after being filled with. lead. maybe lifted above the reservoir and retained in the positions I shown in Figs. 1 and 3. but not tipped far enough to cause the discharge of its contents until the mold has n properly adjusted.

Suitable guides :23 are provided for the top mold portion 12. these guides consist ing of upright members. bolted or otherwise secured to the table or base 3 and provided with ways it in which the ends of said top mold portion are adapted to slide freely. The tops of said guides are connected by the member or yoke 25. through which pases the screw-threaded rod 26. having its lower end turning freely in the block 27. secured to the top mold portion 12. A suitable hand wheel '28 is provided. whereby said top mold portion may be readily raised and lowered. and whereby itmay be tightly pressed down intopositiou before the: casting operation takes place.

The mold into which the molten lead is poured comprises a receptacle. having at one side the end mold portion 8. having at the top the mold portion 12. both described above. and having a bottom mold portion 2-9 comprising an l -shaped block having lead and tipping the contents thereof into slots or grooves 30 in its upper portion. adapted to rece ve the pro ecting lugs of the battery plate. This bottom mold portion The handle 19' is shown as promeans-of bolts, or inany other suitable manner. A second l.-shaped block 32 is secured to the opposite end of said carriage to support the opposite lower corners of said battery plates. An adjustable bar or clamping member 3:? is preferably mounted on the block 32 and adjusted by screws 32. although I do not limitmyself to this feature. The carriage 31 is provided with projections 38, adapted to slide in suitable ways 34. formed on the base or table 3. as seen more particularly in Fig. 5. it. rack 35 is shown as constituting an integral part of said carriage 31 and extends downwardly therefrom, although it is obvious that a detachable rack may be used with said carriage, if desired. The rack 35 meshes with the pinion 36,1nounted on the shaft 3?, and supported in suitable bearings 38. formed by downwardly extending projections on said table 3. On one end of said rod 37, is located an operating wheel 39. having a rim 110 which forms only a half circle and having spokes or hand grips 4:1. As seen in Fig. 1. the upper half of the operating wheel is cut away to avoid interference with certain features of thecarriage hereinafter'described. 1

In order to close the mold-preparatory to the casting operation, a number of storage battery plates 42 are mounted on thesupports 29 and 32 and clamped firmly therein by means of theadjustable bar 3:2. with portions of their projecting lugs 13 received in each'of the slots 30, inthe support or bottom mold portion 29. The battery plates 42 have previously subjected to a process.

29 is suitably secured to the carriage 31 by lltltl) which renders their surfacesdense and comperficial area. although this feature is not apparent from the drawings. The invention is not limited to the use of plates of any particular configuration or proportions. however. or to plates subjected to any particular prior processes. lL'pon rotating the operating wheel 39. the carriage 31 is moved to the rightof its position. as seen in Fig. 1. until said bottom mold portion 29 bears against theend mold portion 8. whereupon the hand wheel 28 is turned to lower the top mold portion 12 until said mold portion is firmly presed down against the bot tom mold portion 29. with the upper halves of the projecting lugs 13 fitting within the slots H in the lower end of said top mold.

lltl

With the parts in this position it will be I the chute formed by the partition 1.1 and side walls 10, the lead. which has previously been super-heated. that is, heated to a higher degree than merely that necemary to melt it, as will be hereinafter described, flows through the slit 13 and assumes the form of the mold, the heat of the lead being suiticient to partially melt the projecting tips of the lugs 13 so that these lugs 43 are combined with the cast strap it in such a way as to form a unitary structure.

The connecting strap so formed is shown more clearly in perspective in Fig. 8. from which it will be apparent that there is preferably formed. integrally with said strap, a projecting terminal member 45, having a flattened portion 46 provided with a hole 47, adapted to receive a terminal clamping bolt, not shown. In casting the terminal strap and projecting terminal portion, there is a slight excess of lead used. which forms the gate 48. which gate is afterward cut oil".

The projecting terminal 15 and extension -16. referred to. are formed by virtue of a recess 49 and extension 50 in the central block 9. 'forming an integral part of the end mold portion 8 described above (see Fig. 3).

In orderto form the hole 17 in the terminal extension -16. a vertically movable pin 51 is provided. carried by the lever 52. pivotctl at 53 to part of said end mold portion. It will be apparent that by raising and lowering the handle 52 (see particularly Fig;

4). the pin may be raised to release the terminal member after the casting operation. By operating the hand Wheel :28. the top mold portion 12 may-be lifted. whereupon the carriage. and the plates carried thereby.

are free to be returned to initial position.

"dross on the surface of. the lead. leaving it The means for giving to the lead the additional heatreferred to, consists of the pipe 54 supplied with hydrogen. said pipe being secured to the ladle 16 by means of brackets 55. or other suitable supports. from which pipe a number of hydrogen .flames are directed through a plurality of holes 5-1 against the surface of the lead in the ladle. after said ladle has-=been lifted to its intermediate position. andavhile the mold is being adjusted in its closed position. hydrogen flames not only provide the additional heat required. but also burn ofi all the bright and clean. This superheating of the lead is desirable in order to cause a thorough fusion of the projecting battery plate logs with the connecting strap. The pipe- 51 may be provided with any suitable flex v ible connection. not shown. so as to readily permit of the movement of the ladle 16.

In order to facilitate the operation of the device. it is desirable to provide means for quickly cooling the larger masses of cast- 'metal. such as the gate 48 and the terminal extension 45. For this purpose. an air pipe 56 is provided. supported on brackets 57. secured to the side walls 10 of the end mold These in Fig. l as extending horizontally between the reservoir 2 and the end mold portion 8, for the purposeof directing a stream of cold air against the sides of the block 9 for the purpose of quickly cooling the terminal lug l5 and extension 46. One of these pipes 58 is provided for each-side of the machine.

Gas pipes 59, having the usual air-mixing nozzles. not shown. are preferably provided for the purpose of directing a flame against the lower-ends of each of the op osite walls 10 on the center mold portion 8. or the purpose of heating up the walls of said mold to a suflicient extent to prevent too rapid cooling of the molten metal when it is first poured into the mold. as such cooling might defeat the objectof fusing together the lugs and connecting strap.

Afterthe east-ing operation'has taken place. and the parts have been returned to their normal positions as described above. the plates l2, with their connecting strap. are lifted from the supporting blocks 29 and 32 and the gate 48 is cut ofi. leaving the product shown in Fig. 8. To facilitate lifting the plates. and particularly the lugs 43 from the slots in the mold portion 29. either one of two ejecting means are preferably provided. consisting of a bar or block 60 having a handle 61 at each end. pivoted at 62. seen more particularly in Fig. 5. It will be apparent that by simply pressing down the ends of the handles 61. the block 60 and the entire group of battery platesabove said block will be raised a slightamount. suflicient, however. to enable the group of plates to be readily lifted from the carriage. By having the operating wheel 39 cut away. as described above. the manipulation of these ejectors is'not interfered with.-

In' the modification illustrated in-Fig. T. the various parts. indicated by the same reference characters as those previously used. are the same as the parts heretofore described. the additional reference characters applying only to new parts. In this modification. the lead in the ladle is kept hot by a flame directed into the recess 17 in the bottom of the ladle. rather than by the surface flame previously described. The gas pipe 63 is located parallel to said reces and has a plurality of holes 17' whereby a plurality of flames may be directed into this recess 17.

, its intermediate position. A thermometer in the ladle, might be used in connection with this modification, if desired.

The advantages of theiOllStI'llCt-iOIl shown in Fig. 8 are obvious, the effect of having a strap integral with each plate'being to reduce the resistance to the lowest point under the circumstances. The union between the lugs and the fillets on the strap is so perfect that, on cutting apart these members in any direction no joint or opening of any kind can be detected, which is an obvious improvement over straps that have been burned to battery plates in the usual manner.

I do not wish to limit myself to the details of the machine described above, as it is obvious that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a casting machine, in combination, means for melting lead, means for withdrawing a definite portion of said lead, means for superheating said portion, means for confining said superheated molten lead against a portion of the surface of a lead member, whereby an integral lead structure is formed on cooling.

2. In combination, means for melting lead, means for withdrawing a definite portion of said lead, means for superheating said portion, a mold having walls, certain portions of said walls consisting of lead, means for directing said superheated lead into said mold whereby said superheated lead, in cooling, adheres to said lead walls and forms a structure integral therewith.

3. In combination, means for melting lead, means for ladlin out a definite portion of said lead, means or superheating and cleaning said portion, a mold having wall portions of lead, and means for pouring said superheated lead into said mold whereby a casting is formed integral with said lead wall portions.

I. A mold for lead comprising 'a wall portion having a recess therein, a movable pin adapted to extend through said recess, a top portion adjustably supported in contact with said wall ortion, and a bottom ortion adapted to s ide toward and away om said wall portion, said bottom portion having a plurality of slots adapted to recelve a naeame plurality of lead battery. plates, means for advancing said bottom portion toward the remaining parts of the mold to close the same, whereby a portion of each plate projects into said mold in order that the super heated moltenmetal poured into said mold may partially fuse said projecting portions to form a casting integral with said plates, said casting having a hole formed by said movable pin. I 5. A machine for casting battery terminal straps integral with storage battery plates, comprising a suitable base, a receptacle for molten lead mounted on said base, a mold and a frame for battery plates also mounted on said base, whereby storage battery plates mounted in said frame may project into said mold, means for removing a portion of said molten lead from said receptacle, means for superheating said portion, and means for pouring said superheated portion into said mold.

6. A terminal strap casting machine comprising a receptacle for molten lead, a mold, means for transferring said molten lead from said receptacle into said mold, and means for superheating" said lead during said transfer.

7. In combination, means for melting lead, a mold, battery plates having lugs constituting part of said mold, means for transferring said molten lead from said receptacle to said mold, and means for superheating and cleaning said molten lead during said transfer.

8, A casting machine for lead terminal straps, comprising a ladle, means for dipping said ladle into molten lead, means for lifting said ladle and holding it in elevated position, means for directing a flame against the surface of the molten lead in said ladle to clean the same, and means for pouring said lead into a mold.

9. A casting machine for lead comprising a pivoted ladle, means for dipping said ladle into molten lead, means for lifting said ladle, and means associated with said ladle for directing a flame against the surface of the molten lead contained therein, to clean the surface and superheat said lead, preparatory to pouring.

10. A ladle for a lead casting machine, comprising a pivoted receptacle having holes in one'of the walls, means for dipping said ladle into molten lead with said holes beneath the surface of said lead, whereby the molten lead which enters the ladle is substantially free from dross, means for elevating' said ladle, and means for superheating and cleaning the surface of the lead in said ladle.

11. A mold for superheated lead, comprising an end portion, top portion and hottom portion, said end portion provided with a recess, and said top and bottom portions Ill provided with slots in their meeting faces, each of said slots in one member alining with a corresponding slot in the other member, means for moving said three portions into close contact in order to close said mold, and a plurality of battery plates, each having a projecting lug adapted to fit into and completely fill a pair of said corresponding slots, whereby said lugs constitute a part of the walls of said mold. a

12. A mold for superheated lead comprising an end member having parallel side walls and a vertical connecting wall joining said side walls, an upper diagonal wall joining said side walls to said vertical wall, said diagonal wall being located below the tops of said side walls, whereby a trough is formed, and an extension for said vertical wall located between said side walls, said extension being provided with a recess, and a movable pin adapted to be projected across said recess.

13. A mold. for a battery terminal strap" comprising top and bottom members having contacting faces, slots in each of said members arranged in alinement with those of the opposite member, whereby a battery plate terminal lug may be received between said members when in contact with each other, a part of each lug projecting into a recess in said upper member and a part projecting into a recess in said lower member, each of I said recesses having a flaring mouth facing the inner portion of the mold, whereby a and means pivoted to each end of said memher for moving said member against the edges of said plates to eject them from said carriage.

16. In combination, a sliding carriage adapted to support a plurality of storage battery plates in vertical, spaced, parallel relation, a rack on said carriage, a pinionengaging said rack, a wheel for rotating said pinion to move said carriage to and fro,v

ejectors for said battery plates, adapted to be slipped under said plates, Said wheelhaving a portion cut away to permit the insertion of said ejectors.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

FRANK ENGEL 

